Season of Indigo
by RoseblossomWarrior
Summary: Oneshots concerning the 1st season. Latest: Balloons. "People in the streets would look up and see the balloon, and dread would fill them - for there would be no hope, their Pokemon would be taken…" Should be some Pokeship.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon.**

_Hello all. I don't venture much into the fanfic world of Pokemon anymore. So far none of my Pokemon stories have been based on the anime (mainly because the only EPIC seasons were the first few. After Ash went to Hoenn (which I must say I didn't watch because I didn't have cable or real internet knowledge), it got very repetitive. I don't know how the writers could replace Misty, and now Brock. I'll get off of this topic in case some of you really love the new seasons; we all have different opinions, and I'll respect yours.) I grew up watching the first season, so it's my favorite. I feel like it was much more emotional- Butterfree. My gosh, Butterfree! :'(_

_For those of you who have me on author alert, no, this is not my newest idea for a Pokemon story. This is simply for oneshots of the anime if the need to write them hits me. All chapters will be oneshots, if I choose to add more to this first one (I wrote this oneshot a while back to save for a rainy day...even though it's sunny as can be). If you're interested in the ships, who knows, except that you can be sure that Ash will always be paired with Misty and vice versa. All oneshots will be based on the first season, and maybe the first movie as well (if I choose to add more). Maybe I'll add an Orange Island one or a Johto one. The future is anyone's guess. Most likely they'll be based upon an episode, like this first one here._

_I can't think of much else to say. I mean, how many of you fanfictioners out there support the first seasons, especially with Black and White being out right now? I have no idea. This story is rated T for anything that might come - violence, blood, death, LANGUAGE. I use language a lot... Updates will probably be few and far between. Again, who knows._

_This has been Rose, and I hope you enjoy :P_

**Rubber Gloves**

**(Pokemon Episode 001: Pokemon, I Choose You!)**

Of all the humanoids in the world to end up being forced with, Pikachu was stuck with this idiotic male (though Pikachu could hardly call this creature a "male" - it sounded like such a female). This was the exact reason why Pikachu was… "uncooperative" with Grey-Hair-Old-Man: Pikachu couldn't stand stupidity. He couldn't stand humans. And he especially couldn't stand stupid humans.

Hence why Pikachu was so adept at Thundershock attacks. Practice does make perfect, after all.

However, Pikachu couldn't change his fate. However much he tried to show that he _did not want _to travel, _did not want _to be in the Pokeball (although the human male did seem to be lenient in that regard), and _did not want _anything to do with humans, he was stuck. There was the option of running away, but he had not the slightest idea of where to go, and besides, that stupid Pokeball would be whipped out faster than he would be able to get away.

Not to mention the fact that he was currently being dragged by said human male (and what a stupid mesh of pelts the male wore; Pikachu didn't think he would ever understand why some humans wanted to put a… a thingamabob on their head, on the one place that they normally had actual fur). Pikachu dug his heels into the ground, but the human had managed to tie string around him - which was a feat, to say the least. A few times, Pikachu attempted to send a current up the string, but the male had cheated him with the one article of people-pelts that Pikachu knew all too well: rubber gloves.

Rubber gloves were very high on Pikachu's "bane-of-existence" list. Grey-Hair-Old-Man had learned to use them quickly, as had his assistants. They kept him from giving humans a good ol' shock, not to mention the fact that they looked atrocious on humans' already odd-looking hands. In a sense, rubber gloves were like the humans he had seen, especially Grey-Hair-Old-Man's assistants: they protected what was inside them.

Humans were all alike. On the outside, they could be all smiles, all kind words - but the moment the coast was clear (in most cases that Pikachu had seen, this was usually when Grey-Hair-Old-Man would step out of the room), their true natures came out. Some assistants, when they were apart from other humans, were cruel, and they had sharp words for the unknowing Grey-Hair-Old-Man. On the outside, all humans had a stupid shell around them to keep themselves "safe" in the world. They all encased themselves in a lie, something to which Pikachu saw no logic.

At last, the male seemed to give up, and he stopped, sighing, to turn around to Pikachu. "Pikachu, are you going to be like this the _whole _way?"

Pikachu turned away, his nose in the air. _"Of course, you dumbass."_

It rather irked Pikachu that humans couldn't understand Pokemon-speech, but in some cases it was rather fun.

The human male knelt beside him. "Is it because you don't like me?"

Pikachu nodded. _"At least you seem to have _some _brains."_

"Well I like you a lot," the human male went on as Pikachu scratched his cheek with a paw and began to wash. "And since you're the Pokemon I'm training, don't you think you could be a little nicer and open your mouth and tell me what's wrong?"

Pikachu complied, stretching his jaws open rather much like he would when he would yawn. _"Get me some food."_

"I don't understand. Is your name all you can say?" the human asked.

Pikachu nodded once. _"Idiot."_

"Well then, you're just like all Pokemon and you should act like one, and get inside your Pokeball, just like it says in the Pokedex." To emphasize his point, the human male flipped open his red device.

"_While being trained, a Pokemon usually stays inside its Pokeball," _the mechanic voice rang out.

_Oh, please,_ Pikachu thought, jumping up to tap a so-called "button" on the device - he'd figured these things out long ago. _"Just listen."_

"_However," _the Pokedex went on, _"there are many exceptions. Some Pokemon hate being confined."_

"_How would you like it if _you _were squeezed into a little ball?" _Pikachu asked snobbishly.

"Okay, then."

Confused, Pikachu looked up to see the human male pocket his Pokedex. "This oughta make things better," he said as he untied the string from around Pikachu's middle. "And I'll get rid of these."

Pikachu watched in astonishment as the human male pulled the pink rubber gloves off and tossed them to the ground. The human still had gloves on, but they were thin and fingerless - most definitely not rubber.

"How's that?" the human asked as he held out his hand, though his voice was doubtful.

Instantly, Pikachu turned around. _"Hell no."_

Inside, Pikachu squashed the small inkling of doubt that had begun to form. All humans were the same. Perhaps the human male had taken off the rubber gloves, but it sure wasn't symbolic in the least. It was just a coincidence.

There was no way that humans could be truthful. There was no way they could be trustful. There was no way one would ever let its soul out for all the world to see.

But at that point, Pikachu didn't know that later that very same day he would have a different view. That tomorrow would dawn a whole new different day. A whole new different life.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon.**

_Threw this together the other night, and I really don't have that much of an idea if it's good or not. I think as I watch the series (painfully slowly, I do have a bit of a life...) I'll write pertaining to the episode. Here we have dialogue from episode 2. Hope TR was in character. (Don't get me started on their B&W uniforms...)_

**Balloons**

**(Episode 002: Pokemon Emergency!)**

"And for five hundred dollars, the Magikarp balloon basket comes with seats!" the salesman exclaimed, slamming his paper fan on the countertop for emphasis. His headband was even a little damp with perspiration, he was so enthusiastic.

James stared with rapt attention at the hot-air balloon. The red fabric seemed to stand out, and he got the impression that this Magikarp balloon, though its eyes looked rather dopey, was powerful. Imagine… When he, Jessie, and Meowth were famous among Team Rocket, this Magikarp balloon might instill fear into the hearts of everyone. People in the streets would look up and see the balloon, and dread would fill them - for there would be no hope, their Pokemon would be taken…

"_James_!"

Pulled out of his reverie by a furious snarl, James whipped around to see Jessie, his red-haired partner, stalking up to him, Meowth at her heels (and currently pretending to be a normal cat Pokemon, though failing miserably as he was walking on his hind legs as usual). Without any sort of preamble, Jessie seized James's gloved hand and dragged him away from the Magikarp balloon salesman toward the other hot-air balloons on the lot. (The salesman looked like he wanted to speak out and stop them, but he was too nervous of the redhead to do so. In any case, he would unknowingly see the blue-haired man again, even though neither of them would really recognize the other.)

"Magikarp are not Pokemon worthy of Team Rocket," Jessie hissed, "and that balloon was too expensive for our salaries!"

"But Jessie," James protested, doing his best to dig his heels into the ground and failing, "if we took an advance off next month's paycheck we could afford it! Do you even know anything _about _Magikarp?"

"Not really," Jessie admitted. She turned to look back at her partner, her voice growing sharp again. "Do _you_?"

"Good point. But the balloon is in excellent condition-"

"Do you two numbskulls see _any _good balloon?" Meowth piped up, scanning the lot. "And you two are forgetting, we can just steal it anyway!"

"Excuse me?"

The trio froze, each of their heads simultaneously turning to the left. From between two balloons (a cheery Bulbasaur and a particularly dimwitted-looking Slowpoke) a burly man stepped out. He seemed to be in his mid-thirties, with muscular arms and dark, spiky hair that was thrown under an Electabuzz baseball cap.

"Did you just say something about _stealing _these balloons?" he asked, scowling.

Officially intimidated, all three recoiled at the same time, beads of sweat appearing on the backs of their heads. None of them knew quite what to say to this intimidating man, until Jessie gave the man a dirty look.

"It's our business whatever we said; stay out of it," she snapped.

"Hmph," the man said, pulling a Pokeball off of his belt; he pressed the center button, and the device maximized with a metallic sound. "The only way you're getting out of here is if you buy one of these balloons. Arcanine!" he called, pressing the button again so that the extremely large fire-canine appeared in a burst of light. The dog, upon seeing Meowth, drew its lips back in a snarl, and Meowth ducked behind Jessie's leg (though not without glaring at the Arcanine).

James frowned, thinking he had heard the man wrong. "I-I think we'll just leave," he stammered, beginning to take a step back.

"Didn't you hear me?" the man asked, his eyes narrowing. "You threatened to steal. Thieves deserve what they get. Pay up - I'll let you have the cheapest one." He jerked his head to indicate a balloon somewhere to his right. "Funny - it's also a Meowth."

Meowth's ears perked in surprise at the information - a balloon with his likeness! - before he realized the implication and growled.

Jessie whipped out her own Pokeball. "Hell no," she spat, tossing the device into the air. It burst open, and in a blast of light, her Ekans appeared, hissing and rattling its tail. With a glance (well, more like a glare) at James, she had him send out his Koffing. With some hesitation, Meowth darted to his comrades' sides.

The man blinked in surprise before he laughed. "Arcanine," he said, still amused, "Flamethrower."

One blast later, the entire Team Rocket troop was burnt to a crisp. James opened his mouth and a puff of smoke rose into the air.

As one, the two humans and three Pokemon turned on their heels to flee, but before they could take one step there was another flash of light, and a Machamp was standing before them, blocking the way.

"C'mon," the man said. "It's only about a hundred and twenty for the Meowth balloon. You take that and leave, and I'll never bother you again."

Scared out of his wits, James fumbled for his wallet and pulled out the right amount before handing it to the man; Jessie seemed to be on the verge of angry tears as she recalled Ekans, borrowing James's Pokeball to do the same with Koffing.. With a smile, the man and his Pokemon led Team Rocket to their new hot-air balloon.

As Team Rocket floated out of sight and into the clouds, the man went back inside the office. "Hey Jerry," he called to his co-worker, grinning from ear to ear, "I finally sold off that piece of crap."

()()()()()()

"_Great_!" Jessie exclaimed bitterly, her normally gorgeous red hair frizzled and sizzling. "A cat losing to a mouse."

"That Pikachu is no ordinary Pikachu!" Meowth pointed out defensively.

"It's certainly very rare!" James agreed, his voice tingling with the after-affects of electricity. "The perfect prize!"

Like his teammates, he was clutching onto a rope tied to their Meowth balloon. In their haste to retreat from their first-ever defeat from a little yellow _rodent _and a little pesky _twerp_, they had simply untied their balloon from where they had kept it from flying away. However, their limbs were still too paralyzed to climb into the basket.

"Let's catch it!" Jessie declared, ambition reverberating in her voice.

"Perhaps we will," Meowth agreed, his voice trailing off as he thought of the riches untold they could gain from the pesky Pikachu.

Without warning, the balloon suddenly jerked forward; with screams, the trio clung tightly to the rope as the balloon started to swirl in all directions. Only when the balloon finally crashed into a tree did it come to a halt; Jessie, James, and Meowth, in shock, lost the ability to hold onto the rope and fell about ten feet to the ground. Now a tangle of limbs, the trio groaned in pain as they crawled away from each other to collapse onto the ground.

"What happened…?" Jessie said, her voice somehow still able to work. She looked through the trees up at the stars; they appeared to be swirling.

Meowth moaned as he pushed himself with tremendous effort onto his back. His eyes flicked to the deflated balloon that shared his likeness. Near the balloon's left ear was a ragged hole. "I'll tell you what," he spat weakly, "that guy conned us."

James lay on the ground, his face planted into the dirt. Though his voice was muffled, the childishness in his voice was unmistakable. "Told you we should've bought the Magikarp balloon."

Simultaneously, Jessie and Meowth feebly kicked him.


End file.
